Green Nuptials
Sep 20, 2009
1 Comment
Weddings. We plan for them, cry at them . . . and pay for them. The average cost of a wedding in the US costs over $20,000, and most fall into the $15,000 to $25,000 range. Oh, and that is not including the ring or honeymoon. And I don't want to take any attention from the bride(zilla), but there's all that waste. I cringe when I see the Hummer limousines cruise through LA--tugging along the hot tub--how many gallons to the mile is that anyway. We also get plastic trinkets that we end up tossing, then there's the food waste, a dress never worn again, etc. I've heard that in order to save money, some couples buy sheet cake to serve, but then the "wedding cake" for show is Styrofoam dressed up in frosting: clever, but revolting (LA does recycle Styrofoam, however!).Well, green weddings have become trendy. In fact, venerable The Knot has a section devoted to green wedding tips. Some of their tips are practical and sensible, others plain silly. Our wedding last year, I'd say was fairly green: it was at our house, so there were no limos or cars going from one venue to another; LED lights lit the front yard; and we asked the caterers to recycle.
The basic green wedding tips are common sense: organic flowers (most flowers are doused in chemicals and come from places like Maria Full of Grace), vet your caterer, don't hire those ridiculous limos, think hard about the dress, etc. Don't even get me started on bridesmaid dresses--the butt of Project Runway jokes!
Last weekend in New York we attended a wedding in Manhattan. The venue was incredible: Fort Tryon Park, in Northern Manhattan, a gift from the Rockefeller family, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. (his father designed Central Park), and home of the Cloisters. The park demonstrates the genius in Manhattan's evolving plan: plenty of green space, and by the way, you can take the subway there as well.
The reception was at New Leaf Cafe, part of Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project. Profits from New Leaf Cafe are invested into the NYRP, which does everything from renovating parts, running sustainability programs, and maintaining community gardens. Next time you are in New York, take the A train up there. The views are incredible, and the gardens are stunning.
As for wedding green tips, well, I've got to share how our reception tables were decorated. The moss was an incredible touch. It seemed to be sustainable decorating to me! Perhaps in LA, we can make place-mats out of all of those palm fronds . . . and in Florida, you could make bridesmaids' boas from all that Spanish moss that hangs from trees . . .
Great tips! Love the New Leaf Cafe!